The decision to have Luke Skywalker turn his back on all life in the galaxy in Star Wars: The Last Jedi may always be divisive, but the ‘student’ who renewed his faith, and pulled him out of his exile was just as controversial. To this date, many detractors and critics still demand to know: Why did Luke think Rey was worthy of being trained as a Jedi?
The logic or perceived lack of it behind Luke’s decision, like Rey’s length of training, largely depends on a person’s opinion of Rey overall (a quagmire unlike any other in Star Wars canon). But there is one character, more than any other, with the right to ask why Luke decided to train Rey as a Jedi, and why he believed in someone with Palpatine’s blood in her veins… more than his own nephew. Thankfully, Ben Solo has finally gotten an answer to that mystery, and it’s one every fan needs to hear.
Luke Finally Tells Kylo Why He Decided To Train Rey (After Their Betrayal)
The Answer is Absolutely Perfect, And Therefore Kylo Hates It
With the Star Wars: Legacy of Vader series exploring Kylo Ren’s canon adventure between Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker, the infamous scene of Luke attempting to kill Ben as he slept (from Ben’s point of view) fuels much of the Supreme Leader’s emotional turmoil. Even more, when his uncle’s years of failure and self-imposed exile are suddenly ended to train his new rival.
Of course, Kylo Ren’s desire to have this mystery explained to him is heavily masked, with the tortured heir of the Skywalkers claiming nothing but anger, hatred, and a longing to destroy his family’s legend. It’s the reason Kylo Ren meditates to locate his uncle Luke’s spirit, eventually finding him in Jedi Heaven a.k.a. the Netherworld of the Force.
Luke cuts through all the controversies, theories, speculation, and trolling surrounding his acceptance of Rey as his student in Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #10. As Kylo demands to know why this student became Luke’s Padawan in ways Kylo never did, Luke ignores any suggestion of ‘sensing’ Rey’s power, her potential, or the dark side within her genes. “Why her?” Luke simply shrugs, replying “She wanted to learn.”
Rey’s Training Becomes A Perfect Payoff For Luke’s First Star Wars Story
Rey’s Similarity To Luke Becomes The Entire Point of His Exile & Legacy
This statement from Luke carries more weight than will be readily apparent, since his story within the Star Wars saga has been dramatically changed from where it began. But in the beginning, Luke Skywalker merely dreamed of adventure, believing he was a nobody, an orphaned son of “a navigator on a spice freighter.” Rather than embracing his ‘destiny,’ once Luke learned the truth, he simply wanted to learn more.
Obviously Luke’s desire for training and knowledge would become more impatient and desperate in The Empire Strikes Back, but his motivations never changed. Luke never dreamed of gaining power, strength, or even revenge; his desire was always for information, knowledge, and lessons to turn that wisdom into practice. Whether from Obi-Wan or Yoda, Luke wanted to learn.
One can imagine this sense of seeking the unknown was entirely erased with the founding of Luke’s new Jedi Academy, training children who had been identified as possessing great potential in the Force. For someone like Ben Solo, the child of ambitious, defiant, and mighty galactic heroes, his path could not have been more different from Luke’s. It’s no wonder Luke would struggle with empathy and trust.
But then along comes Rey, a nobody from a desert world who seeks Luke out with one goal: learn what he has to teach her. Whether Luke saw himself in Rey, or accepted his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Force made its plans as plain as day. In the end, Luke chose to complete his transformation from the one seeking knowledge, to the one passing it on.
Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #10 is available now from Marvel Comics.
- Created By
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George Lucas
- Franchise
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Star Wars
- Died
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Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi
- Race
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Human
- Movies
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Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker
- TV Shows
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The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi
The son of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, Luke was brought up on the desert planet Tatooine. Initially mentored by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke fired the fateful shot that destroyed the Death Star, and he became a rebel hero. Despite the fears of Obi-Wan and Yoda, Luke’s faith in his father was proved well-founded when Vader returned to the light. With the Emperor defeated, Luke dedicated himself to bringing back the Jedi; his first attempt ended in tragedy due to Palpatine’s manipulations, but Luke’s legacy lives on in Rey.
